Social – Disclaimer: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in the Aladins Miracle Lamp is archived here under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in reviewing the included information for personal use, non-profit research and educational purposes only. Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. The opinions rendered are exclusively those of the authors/sources and not those of this website or Aladin whose sole function is to collect and not to write or comment articles. The function "Author" does not exist

26. December 2018

British media at war with Russian counterparts for their doing their jobs – journalists

The increasing pressure put on Russian media by their professional UK counterparts is a sign of an information war. But the Russians are simply doing their jobs as Britons sit out on some stories, observers believe.

Last Sunday, one of the most respectable British newspapers upped the ante in the British stand-off with the Russian government. An establishment outlet that it is, the Times lashed out at Sputnik, a Russian government-funded news website, for its coverage of the hack of the Integrity Initiative (II), a British-funded operation to manipulate social media in a way favorable to London.

The newspaper also published names and photos of Sputnik staff members in what appears to be an attempt to shame them over working for Russia.

In the case of the slowly unfolding Integrity Initiative scandal, it was the Russian media like Sputnik and RT, which did their job informing British citizens about a matter of public interest while their British counterparts ignored the story, independent journalist Luc Rivet, the former chief editor of the Belgian news website Le Peuple pointed out.

“It was true what was revealed by RT and Sputnik [about II] and that is the role of the press, even if the government doesn’t like it. The British government sponsors stooges,” he told RT. “It is the war of secret services at best or at worst. So what’s wrong? The Russians have won [this round].”

The II modus operandi is apparently to connect paid or unpaid individuals willing to back narratives that the British government likes and coordinate their efforts on social media to peddle them. Ironically, the Times branded Sputnik, an outlet that makes no secret of its affiliation with Russia, a “Kremlin stooge” in the headline, citing the words of a Scottish legislator.

Calling the other side names and accusing them of bias is a common thing in an “information war” and there is one currently underway between Russia and Britain, believes Russia analyst Marin Mccauley.

He added that the job of organizations like the Institute for Statecraft, the parent organization of II, “is to come up with arguments, which would negate what Sputnik has said, to counter Sputnik’s arguments and analysis. One way to do this is to say that Sputnik people are not all that bright, they are stooges and not well informed. Unfortunately this is normal tactics nowadays.”

“[They] are apparently not acting in a collegial way. The Times and other papers have chosen to present themselves as foes of their Russian colleagues,” he said, calling the apparent shaming of Sputnik employees “shady.”

China has unveiled footage of the maiden flight of its latest drone, Wing Loong I-D, which is designed for long reconnaissance and combat missions and can fly for 35 hours without a need for refueling.

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the latest in the line of ‘Pterosaur’ drones, performed its first 30-minute flight from an undisclosed location in western China on Sunday afternoon, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said in a statement.

The multi-purpose drone features a fully composite structure and boasts an optimized aerodynamic profile, as well as a high-powered engine. Designed primarily for reconnaissance missions, the Wing Loong I-D also has four pylons and is capable of carrying up to 10 precision strike missiles.

The design allows the drone to fly for 35 hours without the need to refuel even when carrying an external payload of up to 400 kilograms, Jane’s Defence Weekly reported.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!

Support for Palestine, Iran’s principled policy: FM Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) and Mahmoud al-Zahar, the co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, meet in Tehran on December 23, 2018. (Photo by IRNA)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has once again reiterated the Islamic Republic’s principled policy to support Palestine, urging all countries in the Muslim world to boost their unity to defend the Palestinian cause.

“We hope that some Muslim countries that have pinned their hopes on the support of the Zionists and the US will return to the Muslim world and realize that the Zionists are not a trustworthy friend or partner for anybody,” Zarif said in a meeting with a Palestinian parliamentary delegation led by senior Palestinian lawmaker, Mahmoud al-Zahar, in Tehran on Sunday.

The Iranian foreign minister added that efforts to counter the Palestinian resistance are unfortunately being made from inside the Muslim world, saying that all countries and Islamic movements are also under such pressure.

Back in May, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said resistance is the sole way to save the oppressed Palestinian nation.

In response to an earlier letter from Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed Iran’s unwavering support for Palestine and Palestinian fighters, noting that strengthening the resistance front in the Muslim world and intensifying the fight against the occupying regime of Israel and its supporters were the solution to the Palestinian issue.

In a Saturday meeting with Zahar, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stressed the importance of making more efforts to expose brutal crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the oppressed Palestinian nation.

For his part, Zahar, who is also the co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, hailed Iran’s real support for Palestine and expressed hope that the Palestinian people’s resistance and the Muslim world’s support would put an end to the Zionist project as soon as possible.

He pointed to a plan by President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas to dissolve the parliament and said under the Palestinian constitution, the parliament should not be dissolved under any circumstances, even in an emergency situation, until its term is finished.

On Saturday, Hamas slammed the parliament’s dissolution plan, saying the move will only add to the internal divisions between the Palestinian factions.

“The decision by Abbas deepens the internal Palestinian division and destroys the Palestinian political system,” said Yehya Musa, a senior Hamas leader and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).

Internal corruption will be Israel’s undoing: Shamkhani

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said internal and extensive corruption of the Israeli leaders, the awakening of the nations and their awareness of the Zionist regime’s conspiracies and oppression against humanity would lead to Tel Aviv’s destruction.

In a meeting with Zahar, the senior Iranian official added that support for the Palestinian cause and the liberation of Jerusalem al-Quds are the most important priorities of the Muslim world.

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani (R) and Mahmoud al-Zahar, the co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, meet in Tehran on December 23, 2018. (Photo by IRNA)

“Any move that will lead to a deviation in the course of the fight against the Zionist regime as the main threat to the Muslim world is considered as a betrayal of Muslims in the world,” Shamkhani said.

He criticized the United Nations for failing to fulfill its commitments on reconstructing Gaza and meeting the basic needs of the Palestinians in the besieged enclave, and underlined Iran’s firm support for the oppressed people of Palestine and the continuation of aid delivery to them.

Zahar, for his part, appreciated Iran’s assistance to the Palestinian resistance and said Hamas regards Israel as an occupying and illegitimate regime and rejects any move, which leads to recognition of the Tel Aviv regime and overlooking the Palestinian people’s right to take their lands back.

Comments:

SA Hasan

Palestine will remain occupied by the Zionists till Muslims do not overthrow the regimes of Yahudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia), UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt as the leadership of these so called Muslim and Arab nations have become slaves of the Zionists.

bestinthewestvorgestern um 11:24

WELL DONE IRAN AND PALESTINE

Gangadianvorgestern um 06:12

Rafsanjani before his death said Palestine must be liberated by the Arabs. We help them as much as we can in that respect. Since you are a camp follower of Rafsanjani, does “support for Palestine is Iran’s Principled Policy” is Rafsanjani policy with different wording? Where Palestinian will be supported: In West Bank? In Gaze Strip? In both? Or the whole Palestine where it includes the whole Israel, West Bank and Gaze Strip combined? Or somewhere on the planet Mars? Of course, Per Rafsanjani Policy, it is up to Arabs, to decide where the Palestine should be located! The next question is who are the Arabs? Al Saud and the cohorts? But it seems that your mentor, Rafsanjani, forgot to define who the ARABS are! We know that Al Saud and cohorts are closet colonies of US and UK. Therefore, logically we can conclude that you will support the Palestinians where US and British will decide the Palestine should be. So much fuss for nothing!

Sandapril2017@outlook.com> Gangadianvorgestern um 08:30

A big paragraph, but fully confusing.
Those who want to understand Palestine, should review the viewpoints of Imam Khomeini – the Founder of the world-wide Islamic revolution.

Saverio Sciaccavorgestern um 05:47

Once upon a time ………
there was a territory called Peleset by the Canaanites, who ruled over it consisting of South Syria, Lebanon, Palestine & Jordan with a land mass of c. 408.0K Km2, today being a puny mass of 21.0k Km2 including the state of Israel! There were musical chairs of rotation of conquests throughout the last 6.000 yrs by foreign rulers.
The people with de gun running the show today, since 1948, are the 6M Euros, whose ancestors began migration in 722BC after the fall of their 6 village Kingdom of Israel, with survivors reaching & remaining in Persia. The survivors of the fall of the 4 village Kingdom of Judea in 586BC with survivors traveling from Babylon to city Shalim; ” Twilight of Goddesses ” named by the Canaanites, renamed Jerusalem by the Arameans ; ” He casts Peace ” in 550BC with the Judean descendants living as a minority dropping Hebrew for Aramean in 200BC & migrating to Greece! They moved throughout contiguous Europe undergoing total miscegenation leaving central Europe in the 12th c AD for East Euro countries, just as the small group in Persia & Babylon & the mass expulsion of Spain & Portugal’s Jewry did in the ME, Levant & North Africa after 1492AD. The 6 M in the state of Israel today, as the 6M in the USA are Euros, but ironically just like the peoples of the ME, Levant & North Africa are considered Euros. in our three Haplotypes of Homo Sapien mankind, which include Afro, Asiatic & Euro mankind!
It is the leaders since 1948AD, who claim that Palestinians & Palestine doesn’t exist! They forget conveniently that they were tolerated after 536BC in Jerusalem by the Arameans owning nothing, even dropping Hebraic for Aramaic to survive commercially in 200BC being so few in numbers. The incessant publications of glory only & always existed on patient papyrus, not reality!
PS They never knew or lived in Aramean Jerusalem from their short historical stint in village Shalim from 1011BC to 933BC! Leaders David, Solomon & Rehoboam were Chiefs of this one village Chiefdom of Shalim. Their 1st King was King Jehoram in 853BC ruling a total of 4 villages, with two tribes in the Kingdom of Judea as vassals paying tribute!

Masudvorgestern um 04:59

Thank you to the honorable brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran, for your support of the oppressed Palestinians. Even if the whole world stands against you, your stance will make you victorious. Allah(swt) will reward you for standing along side the oppressed, and opposing a haughty oppressor. This is the true spirit of Islam, something many Muslim nations have forgotten in these dark times. May Allah(swt) break the backs of the oppressors, Amin.